3 Canadian Stocks to Buy Before Trade Talks Shake the Market

Trade jitters can punish cyclical stocks, so it helps to own businesses with essential demand or safe-haven support.

Amy Legate-Wolfe

Author Bio Amy became interested in investing in 2018 after having her first daughter. After receiving a masters degree in journalism from Western University, she became frustrated that the finance industry remained a confusing place for Canadians like her: new parents, millennials, and other young people who needed to understand their finances. Now, Amy focuses on tech companies and renewable energy for growth opportunities, coupling that with long-term investing strategies and equities. She also provides investors with a daily newsletter, Canada Stock Digest, for daily market updates. Her work can also be found at Canada's National Observer, where she writes on the business side of climate action. Before joining Motley Fool Canada, Amy wrote for major news organizations including HuffPost, CTVNews.ca, and CBC. When she’s not researching investing strategies, Amy’s time is pretty much monopolized by her two wild daughters, but in what little spare time she has she loves to do yoga, go on walks with her dog, and travel with her husband. Social Media Follow Amy on LinkedIn and Canada Stock Digest. Favorite Investment Quote “October: This is one of the particularly dangerous months to speculate in stocks. The others are July, January, September, April, November, May, March, June, December, August and February.” – Mark Twain

Published May 5, 3:45 pm EDT

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Key Points

Cargojet moves time-sensitive freight across Canada and still posts strong margins despite uneven trade flows.
Barrick can benefit if uncertainty pushes investors toward gold, backed by big cash flow and a reasonable valuation.
WildBrain is a higher-risk turnaround, but growing licensing revenue could unlock value if execution improves.

Trade talks can turn calm markets jumpy fast. Investors start worrying about tariffs, higher costs, weaker exports, and slower business spending. That doesn’t mean they should hide in cash, but instead they should look for companies with durable demand, pricing power, or assets that can benefit when uncertainty rises. The best picks won’t avoid every hit, but can hold their ground while the market sorts through the noise.

Warning sign with the text "Trade war" in front of container ship — Source: Getty Images

CJT

Cargojet (TSX:CJT) is one name worth watching before trade talks heat up. The company runs Canada’s leading overnight air-cargo network and also provides aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance services for global customers. Put simply, it helps move packages and freight when speed matters. Over the last year, Cargojet stock dealt with uneven trade flows, weaker charter demand, and global uncertainty. Yet its domestic overnight business stayed important, especially as e-commerce and time-sensitive deliveries kept moving.

The latest results showed a business that can still grind out cash in a messy market. In the fourth quarter of 2025, Cargojet stock reported revenue of $284.7 million, down slightly year over year, but adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) rose 3.6% to $95 million. Its adjusted EBITDA margin reached 33.4%, which shows strong cost control. Cargojet stock recently traded with a market cap near $1.1 billion and a trailing price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio around 14.5. So it’s not dirt cheap, but it looks reasonable for a profitable logistics company with hard-to-replace assets.

ABX

Barrick Mining (TSX:ABX) brings a different kind of protection. Gold often gets more attention when trade fights, inflation worries, or geopolitical tension shake confidence. Barrick is one of the world’s biggest gold producers, with copper exposure as well. Over the last year, the company dealt with leadership changes, Mali-related issues, and a bigger push to unlock value from its North American assets. That’s a lot of news, but gold prices gave the business a powerful tailwind.

Its fourth-quarter 2025 numbers were very strong. Barrick reported net earnings of US$2.4 billion, or US$1.43 per share, and adjusted net earnings of US$1.8 billion, or US$1.04 per share. Free cash flow reached US$1.6 billion in the quarter. For 2025, revenue came in at US$17 billion, with net earnings around US$5 billion. The stock recently carried a market cap near $87.5 billion, with a trailing P/E ratio around 13. The risks remain real, especially political risk and rising mine costs, but Barrick looks well placed if investors rush back to gold.

WILD

WildBrain (TSX:WILD) is the smaller, riskier pick, but it has an interesting setup. The company owns and manages kids’ and family entertainment brands, including Peanuts, Teletubbies, Strawberry Shortcake, and other content properties. It earns money from licensing, content production, distribution, and brand partnerships. Over the last year, WildBrain pushed further into higher-margin licensing while moving away from lower-return television operations. That shift makes the story cleaner, even if the turnaround still needs work.

The latest results showed progress. In the second quarter of fiscal 2026, revenue from continuing operations rose 11% to $72.4 million. Global licensing revenue climbed 24% to $27.3 million, helped by owned brands and its licensing agency. WildBrain still isn’t a simple earnings story, since it reported losses and carries debt. But the valuation looks low on sales, with a market cap around $275 million and a price-to-sales ratio near 0.5. If management keeps building licensing revenue, the market may eventually give it more credit.

Bottom line

So, before trade talks shake the market again, investors may want a mix of resilience and upside. Cargojet stock offers essential logistics, Barrick offers gold exposure when uncertainty rises, and WildBrain offers a turnaround tied to beloved brands and licensing growth. And with the income from the first two, you could fully fund the third with $7,000!